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I'm going snorkeling but I don't own a camera.........

Started 4 months ago | Discussions
windoze
windoze Veteran Member • Posts: 9,644
I'm going snorkeling but I don't own a camera.........

If I see fish ( are there fish in Antigua ? ) Id like to attempt to get some quality pictures. Im not diving but basically just floating in the water looking down.  Suggestions?

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PHXAZCRAIG
PHXAZCRAIG Forum Pro • Posts: 19,651
Re: I'm going snorkeling but I don't own a camera.........

Used to be easier when there were still compact cameras on the market.

If you want video, the usual answer is GoPro-on-a-stick.   Some are happy pulling stills from the video stream with the newer models.

On the other hand, there seem to be a lot of people complaining about the latest GoPros and pushing Insta360's.  If you go this route, do some homework.

For stills-oriented camera....   Hmm.   Kraken housing for smart phone?  ($300)  Olympus TG6, or maybe used TG5?

In any case, you want a small camera that can dangle from a wrist strap leaving your hands free when you need them.

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windoze
OP windoze Veteran Member • Posts: 9,644
Re: I'm going snorkeling but I don't own a camera.........

PHXAZCRAIG wrote:

On the other hand, there seem to be a lot of people complaining about the latest GoPros and pushing Insta360's. If you go this route, do some homework.

For stills-oriented camera.... Hmm. Kraken housing for smart phone? ($300) Olympus TG6, or maybe used TG5?

Thank you!

Troy

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kelpdiver Veteran Member • Posts: 5,564
Re: I'm going snorkeling but I don't own a camera.........

windoze wrote:

If I see fish ( are there fish in Antigua ? ) Id like to attempt to get some quality pictures. Im not diving but basically just floating in the water looking down. Suggestions?

It's nearly impossible to get good quality pictures shooting down from the surface.   The 2nd 'law' of UW photography is to shoot up.

OTOH, it's a lot easier to get non crappy video for a first timer.   I suggest you look for nice closeout pricing on the Hero 9 Black (or 10) now that the 11 is the current model.   Probably in the ballpark of $300.   It will be easy to use for this trip with limited cost, and you can decide if you want to take it further.

You could look for an attractive black friday sale on a TG-6, which can get down to the mid 300s, but it's substantially heavier and I don't believe it has any stablization on the video, which can lead to vomitcam videos.  But a potential cheap choice if you want a decent camera for topside pictures in the rain and waves.

windoze
OP windoze Veteran Member • Posts: 9,644
Re: I'm going snorkeling but I don't own a camera.........

kelpdiver wrote:

windoze wrote:

If I see fish ( are there fish in Antigua ? ) Id like to attempt to get some quality pictures. Im not diving but basically just floating in the water looking down. Suggestions?

It's nearly impossible to get good quality pictures shooting down from the surface. The 2nd 'law' of UW photography is to shoot up.

OTOH, it's a lot easier to get non crappy video for a first timer. I suggest you look for nice closeout pricing on the Hero 9 Black (or 10) now that the 11 is the current model. Probably in the ballpark of $300. It will be easy to use for this trip with limited cost, and you can decide if you want to take it further.

You could look for an attractive black friday sale on a TG-6, which can get down to the mid 300s, but it's substantially heavier and I don't believe it has any stablization on the video, which can lead to vomitcam videos. But a potential cheap choice if you want a decent camera for topside pictures in the rain and waves.

Thank you for your advice!

Troy

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Sony RX10 IV
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